Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus: To Lose is to Win #1 Preview

 

COVER A: JUNGGEUN YOON

 

After Mead and Stix fought side by side on Kalanthia, the ex-Marine and combat Replicant set up as private investigators in Japan. But while the soldiers remade their lives, Replicants fled Blade Runners to establish an underground community in Tokyo. An investigation into rumors of a super Replicant assassin, and a missing woman, led Mead and Stix to the Yakuza. Will more drama rock Mead and Stix's partnership? And can Replicants rise from the underground to live peacefully among their Human neighbors? 

Here's all the info from Titan Comics: 

BLADE RUNNER: TOKYO NEXUS: TO LOSE IS TO WIN #1 (OF 4)

Format: Comic book

(W) Nancy A. Collins

(A) Mariano Taibo

Publisher: Titan Comics

FC • 32pp • $4.99

On Sale May 6, 2026

 

BLADE RUNNER IS BACK!

 

Discovering that Mead and Stix are still alive, their old commanding officer, Uldren sets out to kill them before they can reveal his treachery. The data he stole from Tyrell has enabled the Cheshire Corporation to create bootleg Replicants with the same kill signature as Stix. Meanwhile, still dealing with the fallout from the Yakuza civil war Stix and Mead find themselves fighting for survival against Rumika, A Blade Runner sent by Tyrell to destroy Cheshire and all those connected with it.

 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are more cover options:

 

 

 

COVER B: DANI & BRAD SIMPSON

 

 

 

COVER C: PIOTR KOWALSKI

 

COVER D: MARIANO TAIBO

Also Available:

 

COVER E: JUNGGEUN YOON FOIL VARIANT

COVER F: DANI & BRAD SIMPSON VIRGIN VARIANT

 

 

Fans can order their copy of BLADE RUNNER: TOKYO NEXUS - TO LOSE IS TO WIN #1 from their local comic book store, and Forbidden Planet for UK & Europe.

 

BLADE RUNNER: TOKYO NEXUS VOL. 1 DIE IN PEACE is available to order at local comic shops, and bookshops now. 

 

 

Thanks to Titan Comics for sharing this preview with us.

 

 

For how this series began, see my review of Blade Runner: Tokyo Nexus #1. 

Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition Review

 

Writer: Aleš Kot

Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Colorists: Brad Simpson & Kevin Enhart

Letterer: Aditya Bidikar

Publisher: Titan Comics

Hardcover Price: $24.99

Kindle: $18.99

Release Date: September 2, 2025

 

Their name is unimportant. Perhaps they never had one. Either that, or the fog of battle has stripped it from them. Now, all the Hunter has is the hunt. While they yearn for rest, Yharnam needs them. So, as they slay the beasts in the burning city, they head toward the cathedral. Can the Hunter help those trapped inside? And can they find a way to escape the endless hunt? Let's grab a weapon, leap into Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition, and see!

 

Story

When they arrive to rescue those trapped inside the cathedral, the occupants usher the Hunter inside. Despite all the beasts they have slain, a man leads them through the ancient building. He claims that the laity of the Healing Church are the true beasts. The priests have trapped this world in an endless cycle where people become infected and transform into beasts. Instead of fleeing, the man shows the Hunter a child. His pale skin and milk-like blood recall a prophecy. The man proffers the Hunter the boy as a potential means of escaping the never-ending hunt.

 

As we follow their journey, Aleš Kot shares the Hunter's thoughts with us in Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition. The Hunter muses about their world and the nature of existence. They wonder how the world defines and limits them. The Healing Church has sacrificed its future and threatened everyone’s Humanity to preserve the present. Someone chose them to be a Hunter to cull the beasts. Despite their childhood memories, perhaps someone created them: neither man nor woman, but all Hunter. And a Hunter must hunt.

 

As the Hunter takes the pale blood child across the world, they wonder if a richer life awaits them. Protecting the child from danger is a new experience, but also an honor that the Hunter embraces. Along the way, the Hunter seeks counsel from others on how to escape the endless cycle of violence that traps them all. As in life, escaping the tyranny of long-held beliefs and patterns of behavior seems an impossible dream in Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition.

 

Art

The Hunter carries a rifle and a collapsible serrated axe as they stride through the monster-filled streets. A bandana obscures their features, while a hat evokes the supercilium of a predatory bird. They extend the axe into a toothy scythe, cleaving bodies and severing heads with their right hand, while firing the rifle with their left. As a dog sinks its fangs into their vambraces, zombies, werewolves, and mummies leap from the flames. Yet the Hunter plows undaunted through the melee, approaching a carved wooden door in the towering expanse of brick.

 

Brad Simpson and Kevin Enhart lavish a nuanced palette on Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition. Their colors brighten this dark world, in which a square centimeter rarely escapes Piotr Kowalski’s detailed penciling. Within Yharnam Cathedral, the fires outside fill the Gothic windows with a peach glow, while statues guard those within from alcoves lining the blue stone walls. The Hunter walks past an excavation pit, where brown coffins rest among boards and bricks in the dirt. Like the wooden floor and coffins, the pale child wears brown clothes and strips of cloth. Like the mottled skin on his bare head, gray sandals cover his pale feet.

 

Aditya Bidikar places the Hunter’s thoughts in yellow scraps of parchment with black lowercase words. Black uppercase words inhabit white balloons as the Hunter seeks aid and relief from life’s unending cycle. Sound effects heighten battles that, while fulfilling the Hunter’s purpose, can never bring them peace. Extras include the script for the first issue, illustrated with pencil sketches and inked art. The volume also boasts insights into creating the cover art and interviews with the writer and artist. Thanks to Titan Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

Perhaps once, the Hunter enjoyed hunting. But that was long ago. To recapture the meaning of their existence, the Hunter protects a pale child. While guiding it in the ways of the world, all the Hunter knows is that opinions can be the greatest danger of them all in Bloodborne Vol 1: The Death of Sleep Deluxe Edition.

 

Raing 9.2/10

 

For more info and order information, see my announcement for Bloodborne Vol 1: The Deathof Sleep Deluxe Edition.

Christmas 365 #2 Review

 

Writers: Mikey Way & Jonathan Rivera

Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Joshua Reed

Cover Artists: Piotr Kowalski with Brad Simpson

Special Thanks: Ian Sattler

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: January 8, 2025

 

Peter Rockwell was depressed. Overworked and mourning his father, every day was a struggle to get by. Without Peter at the helm, his family started to mutiny. Peter's relationship with his eldest daughter grew frosty when he missed her play. But Santa Claus put him right. The Mall Santa (“A total pro”) suggested Peter “Live each day like it is Christmas.” Can Peter harness the joy of Christmas all year round? And how are the Rockwells celebrating Christmas on the 25^th of each month? Let's grab a glass of eggnog, leap into Christmas 365 #2, and find out!

 

Story

The Doctor isn't fond of Peter's plan. Burning down the Christmas tree was just the start. Peter's over-the-top celebrations bring unexpected dangers. The Doctor also worries about Peter's cholesterol due to all the holiday yummies. Nor is the Doctor alone. Red may look good on Santa, but the bank isn't happy with Peter's overspending. Still, after five months, Peter is achieving his goal of bringing his family together. So, Peter wonders how he can make his Christmas Year more feasible.

 

Avoiding holiday overeating is hard. Creation and innovation entail danger. So, in Christmas 365 #2, Peter focuses on making the holidays more affordable. People are noticing what the Rockwells are doing. When the family gathers around a plate of holiday cookies, Tina's suggestion inspires Peter. Building a Memorial Day Christmas Village necessitates a significant investment in their time and finances. If their online fans don’t support them, the Rockwells could go bankrupt. But like Iowa farmer Ray Kinsella, Peter suspects that if he builds it, people will come.

 

Amid all the fun and celebrations, Mikey Way and Jonathan Rivera’s story showcases Peter’s love for his family. As Alice said, Steven, Susan, and Tina are the gifts that matter. Steven no longer torments Susan with gory visions on his tablet. Tina is channeling her social media prowess and her set design skills to bolster her father's plans. As Peter's eldest daughter starts to feel the joy of Christmas, she realizes this year of celebrating won't go on forever. While his father's death still haunts him, Peter finds ways to close the distance with his eldest daughter in Christmas 365 #2.

 

Art

Peter's waist looks thicker without his shirt on. Peter covers his face when he wonders how to Make Christmas Great Always. Piotr Kowalski’s

flashbacks reveal Steven's mischievous nature, the Rockwells' first four monthly celebrations, and possibly how Tina sought revenge on her father. After Brad Simpson colors the April celebrations red and imbues the family with green eyes, gingerbread men with red and green buttons gather next to bills with red late payment stickers. “No, not the gumdrop buttons!”

 

As Peter and Alice study Tina's phone, bold colors fill the background, hinting at the Rockwells' online coverage. Spectators watch festive holiday displays as Tina and greenbacks fill the foreground. While Alice looks worried, Peter brainstorms colorful building projects in his red long-sleeve shirt. Then a gray shark threatens to swallow Peter's red-clothed Christmas totem, men gather beneath red palm fronds, and customers smile when yellow fries rise from a brown bun.

 

Amid Piotr Kowalski's detailed art and Brad Simpson's vibrant coloring, Joshua Reed conveys Mikey Way and Jonathan Rivera's heartwarming and energetic story. The black uppercase letters in balloons and red-bordered boxes grow bold and swell but never shrink. A stylized red, green, and white logo adorns online articles in Christmas 365 #2. Snapping and thwipping signal injury. Chugging eases Alice's tensions. Yet barely discernable clicking endangers Peter's dream. Thanks to Dark Horse Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Peter Rockwell's crusade to unite his family and celebrate their love for each other wins people over. But just as Peter discovers how to make Santa's suggestion profitable, someone threatens to steal his dream in Christmas 365 #2.

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Christmas 365 #1 Review

 

Writers: Mikey Way & Jonathan Rivera

Artist: Piotr Kowalski

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Joshua Reed

Cover Artists: Piotr Kowalski with Brad Simpson

Special Thanks: Ian Sattler

Publisher: Dark Horse Comics

Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 4, 2024

 

Peter Rockwell is depressed. Overworked and mourning his father, every day is a struggle to get by. While he is losing touch with his family, Christmas looms. Can Peter get through the holidays and get back in touch with his family? Let's grab a glass of eggnog, leap into Christmas 365 #1, and find out!

 

Story

The kitchen in Peter's house is a hive of activity. Alice steers little Steven and Susan through breakfast while arguing with Tina about propriety in teenage relationships. Steven is more interested in terrorizing Susan than eating. Peter's oldest child is upset with her dad for missing her high school play. Alice reminds Peter that he's letting them down. Peter vows to be better. But her loving suggestion feels like another demand.

 

Before Peter enters the office, the assault begins in Christmas 365 #1. His manager insinuates Peter must step up. Victor increases the pressure by purchasing the boss a gift over the proposed spending limit for employees. Then Victor promises a proposal revision by day’s end, despite shorter holiday hours. Once again, Peter arrives late to be with his family.

 

In Mikey Way and Jonathan Rivera’s story, Peter and his father always made a big deal out of Christmas. But Peter couldn't face celebrating the holidays without his dad. Steven preys on Susan's fears that their dad will skip Christmas this year. So when they get to the mall, Peter lifts Susan onto his shoulders while they wait to see Santa. Walking alongside, Steven may be more interested in his tablet than Santa. But Peter notices the wonder in his youngest daughter's eyes.

 

In Christmas 365 #1, Peter Rockwell struggles with the demands of parenthood. His daughter’s joy helps him remember how Christmas used to make him feel. So, Peter lets go of his inhibitions and notions of respectability. Instead, he does something to reawaken the child inside him and revive his love for the holiday season. Other adults won’t understand, but Peter wants to turn his life around for his family.

 

Art

Piotr Kowalski kicks off Christmas 365 #1 with a dream sequence. As Peter walks through a storybook town, trying to return home, a malicious snowman and other outdoor decorations pursue him. The inking captures details and shadows, whether caught in folds of fabric or shimmers on glass. The boss’s office evokes M’s in classic James Bond movies. Amid the fine woodwork, loaded bookshelves, and an upholstered door, a portrait of a frowning woman hangs behind the boss. Later, Peter pulls open a drawer in his cubicle, removes a framed childhood photo with his father, and replaces it on a bookshelf.

 

Brad Simpson contrasts muted colors with their brighter cousins to give Piotr Kowalkski’s art a lived-in quality. He intensifies Peter's nightmare by tinging the surrounding outdoor Christmas decorations in red. Simpson brightens the beige, brown, and gray home with plants and the undecorated Christmas tree. Tan, beige, and maroon warm the boss's office. Gray, lavender, and blue cool Peter’s cubicle. The same bright red, green, and yellow in the gold framed photo surround Santa at the mall, helping Peter associate Christmas with happiness and familial celebration.  

 

Joshua Reed decorates sugar cookie dialogue balloons with coal-colored uppercase letters. He adorns a radio news report with scalloped cookie-cutter edges. After crowning domestic chaos with a yellow sound effect, he outlines white narrative boxes with red and green to enhance Peter’s Yuletide eureka in Christmas 365 #1. Thanks to Dark Horse Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Christmas 365 #1 tackles the difficulties of navigating the depression accompanying the holiday season with sitcom humor and a reminder that the best gifts are the times we share with those we love.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

To preview interior art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Army Of Darkness Forever #11 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artist: Pop Mhan

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Editors: Joe Rybandt & Marshall Hoyt

Cover Artists: Bjorn Barends, Arthur Suydam, Tony Fleecs & Chris Burnham

Publisher: Dynamite Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: September 4, 2024

 

The copy of the Necronomicon Ash calls "Sucky" carries him from 2093 to 1993 to fight Evil Ash. Then, it transports him and Evil Ash to meet Lady Shiela and the Evil Lord Ash in 1300. Ash finds Lady Shiela in the Dark Forest, but Evil Ash impales him with a sword. Is this the end for Ash and Lady Shiela? Let's grab our shotguns and chainsaws, leap into Army Of Darkness Forever #11, and find out!

 

Story

Lady Shiela has many reasons to mourn. Duke Henry killed her brother. Lord Arthur, his wiseman, and everyone she knows in her castle home became a Deadite. Her lover abandoned her to play Sleeping Beauty in a cave, but true love's kiss won't wake him. Now, Lady Shiela watches him die in the dark forest.

 

Ash reassembled the scattered pages of the Necronomicon in 2093, only for it to reform into two books and a baby. Nikto may be as endearing as Mary in Three Men and a Baby, but the Necronomicon-Baby likes carnage. Lady Shiela might not cry for Ash if she knew he killed all 244 Deadites in her castle, but Baby Nikto laughs. Ash wasn't sure if the baby was on his side or just stuck by him because Ash killed so many Deadites and Droidites. But Baby Nikto declares what side it is on when it heals Ash’s ouchie in Army Of Darkness Forever #11.

 

Tony Fleecs packs his story with combatants and confrontations. Lord Arthur's wiseman serves Evil Lord Ash, and his devotion to the Necronomicon Ex Mortis hasn't lessened his wizardly ways. Evil Ash grew out of Ash like a zit and spread like cancer across the world in 1993. There are three copies of the Necronomicon in 1300 in addition to Baby Nikto and the two Ash nicknamed Sucky and Bitey. Fleecs services all his characters, reminds us of the power of the Necronomicon, and makes an interesting comment on the power of evil when the wizard's magic turns against him. The central theme of Army Of Darkness Forever #11 is that grief is a parasite that robs people of their humanity. Lady Shiela’s shield is her refusal to give into grief. She may feel it. She may endure it. But she will never let grief consume her.

 

As for Ash, he is too stubborn to give into grief. The Necronomicon may have ruined his life, but he'll keep fighting for the life he wants. Ash and Lady Shiela seem destined to keep on fighting forever. If only Ash wanted Lady Shiela!

 

Art

Lady Shiela cradles Ash’s head on her lap. With a mace attached to the stump where her hand used to be, she now shares another similarity with her true love. Yet blood fountains from Ash’s beautiful abs as life flees. As the wizard joins Evil Ash to observe Ash's demise, Baby Nikto touches Ash’s stomach. Ash floats above the ground like Sigourney Weaver in Ghostbusters, while inset panels show characters shielding their faces from radiant Ash.

 

Brad Simpson lavishes a limited palette on Pop Mhan’s fanciful art in Army Of Darkness Forever #11. Bold, contrasting colors highlight standoffs and fighting. Ash and Evil Ash wear blue shirts on a blue battlefield, while Evil Lord Ash and the wizard wear red. Turquoise and magenta often fill the backgrounds of panels on gray pages, but both change as the fighting intensifies until pink seeps into the sky as the wizard declares his allegiance.  

 

Troy Peteri conjures large uppercase letters into white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes in Army Of Darkness Forever #11. Words grow bold for inflection, enlarge and change color to convey volume, and rarely shrink. Sound effects help us hear laughter fill the battlefield, Ash’s axe clang against Evil Ash’s sword, and Baby Nikto becomes a flamethrower that another Ash could have used to protect Sigourney Weaver in Alien. Thanks to Dynamite Comics & MGM for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Ash thought his travels through time were over when he and his three Necronomicons arrived in 1300. Lady Shiela thought Ash’s life was over when Evil Ash from 1993 killed Ash. But with six copies of the Necronomicon, four versions of Ash in one time and place, and a handful of hand-sized Ashes, Lady Shiela and Ash’s headaches become migraines in Army Of Darkness Forever #11.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Local Man #13 Review

 

Writers: Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs

Artists: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley

Colorists: Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro

Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, John Stinsman & Brian Reber

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: August 21, 2024

 

Inga killed Jack’s father. Jack wants to kill her. His mother, Lila, wants to be a sacrifice. Like the rest of The Faceless Horde, she’d rather have the world she wants than the one she lives in. Can anyone save Farmington? Or will The Price’s death cult destroy Jack and Inga’s hometown? Let's leap into Local Man #13 and find out!

 

Story

Brian Bucholz got mad. He beat up Jack Xaver. But he also told Jack the truth. His wife, Inga, killed Ben Xaver. Jack once loved Inga. Jack teamed up with Inga to save Farmington from The Price. But in telling Jack that Inga poisoned his dad, Brian shattered Jack’s image of Inga.

 

Alan Kopecki hoped Crossjack, the former superhero, could save Farmington. Then he learned that Jack and Inga kidnapped his boss, Police Chief Brian Bucholz. Jack has manipulated him and disrespected the rule of law long enough. Brian organizes local law enforcement and sets up a roadblock to apprehend Jack and bar him from returning to Farmington.

 

Inga loved Jack. Inga loved Farmington. When Jack abandoned her and the future she envisioned, she got mad. Then Inga got even. She conspired with the government and Camo Crusader. Although she used the profits to benefit her town, she harmed a lot of people and scarred her soul. In Local Man #13, Farmington needs her. It's time for Inga to make the right choices and be a hero.

 

Jack returned to Farmington after Camo Crusader kicked him off Third Gen. His former friends and neighbors regarded him with disdain. Gen Corp’s legal actions forced Jack to adopt an alias. But Jack no longer wishes to be Crossjack. He doesn't even want to be called Local Man. His superhero power is his accuracy. Jack has grown beyond the ability to hit any stationary or moving target. Now, his superpower is zeroing in on the truth, assessing what motivates people, and using reason to help people make healthier choices.

 

Ironically, a series celebrating '90s comics and superheroes received a Best New Series Eisner nomination in 2024. But then, Tim Seeley & Tony Fleecs blend delicious ironies into every issue. Jack's former friends and neighbors disdain Jack for sleeping with Neon. Yet her husband, Camo Crusader, asked him to have sex with her. Camo Crusader wanted Jack to father the next generation. Yet he killed the teens in 4^th Gen to harvest their powers. After Stacy Wohl’s death, a dog everyone adores is the only one capable of containing a hate-filled alien god. An anti-fungal drug killed his father, yet a fungus gave Jack lasting insights into human nature. In Local Man #13, everyone hates Inga, but she can become a hero and undo some of the harm she has caused.

 

Art

The Price and Lila Xaver walk through a field of chest-high grain. Lila's helmet visor closes when she sees the house where she and Ben raised Jack. Two locals paint over the street sign that once honored the town's heroes. Jack carries Pepper from the storage shed where Inga stored Fourth Gen's bodies. When Jack mentions that he needs weapons, the driver wearing a Metallica shirt opens the tailgate of a truck he named after a novel that inspired people to acts of kindness and respect. Then, he gives Jack the means to hurt people.

 

Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro lavish attractive colors on Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley’s art in Local Man #13. Snow falls through the pink and gray sky, while green, blue, and purple decorate dimly lit interiors. As the driver and Jack head toward Farmington, they stop before glaring red and blue. Colors grow bolder and more nuanced when Tony Fleecs pays homage to a ‘90s tradition and forces you to flip the comic sideways to enjoy a superhero shot of Local Man loaded for bear. Brad Simpson honors a fallen hero with yellow and green, while Felipe Sobreiro breathes life into Third Gen’s Air Raider and a famous 90s Image superhero in the closing flashback.

 

Uppercase black letters fill dialogue balloons. Words embolden for inflection, swell for raised voices, and rarely shrink. Sound effects help us hear Jack storm a firing squad, superheroes battle The Price, and a supernatural entity rise to claim its prize in Local Man #13. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Jack discards the last vestiges of his superhero identity and wields honesty and reason as his weapons in Local Man #13. The villains romanticize the past and fantasize about building a future on faded dreams. Jack’s message: honor the past but embrace today. Make every second count!

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Army Of Darkness Forever #10 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs

Artist: Pop Mhan

Colorist: Brad Simpson

Letterer: Troy Peteri

Cover Artists: Bjorn Barends, Arthur Suydam, Tony Fleecs & Chris Burnham

Publisher: Dynamite Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: July 24, 2024

 

Ash’s adventures in 2093 have ended. The copy of the Necronomicon he calls "Sucky" hurled him back to his own time to see his evil twin arrive, and the Deadite army devastates England's Capitol. As Big Ben topples, Ash fights his evil self. Will Ash survive this chainsaw duel at the dawn of the apocalypse? And does bringing a Necronomicon baby into a warzone make him a bad parent? Let's grab our shotguns and chainsaws, leap into Army Of Darkness Forever #10, and find out!

 

Story

Ash has stood single-handed against hordes of Deadites. But no one can win every battle. Ash loses his chainsaw and wrist while battling his evil self. Evil Ash walks away, clutching Sucky while Bitey hovers in his villainous orbit. With two copies of the Necronomicon and his army of darkness, Evil Ash envisions world conquest. Like a metastasizing cancer, nothing can stop him. Still, Ash straps on his metal hand and smiles. Ash knows which book his evil buddy clutches and what that book will do. 

 

In 1300 AD, Lady Shiela faltered as she battled Deadites in the dark forest. Evil Ash and Lord Arthur's evil wizard raised her brother as a Deadite. She extended her hand toward Michael, and he greeted it with his sword. In Army Of Darkness Forever #10, Evil Ash cradles Lady Shiela. As they kiss, her anguish invigorates him. Skin spreads across his bare skull. Her beloved is a sleeping beauty in a cave. She can’t have him. But she can have Evil Ash.

 

Does Sucky have a conscience? The time-hopping evil book chose to bring Ash, Bitey, and Nikto back to meet Evil Ash in 1993. As Evil Ash looks down at his copy of the Necronomicon, it transports Evil Ash back to 1300 AD. He can no longer infect the glorious future of 1993. Aerosmith, Nirvana, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers can resume touring to support their latest albums.

 

In Tony Fleecs's story, Ash gets caught in Sucky’s vortex and lands in Lord Arthur's castle. This time, he won't rally the living to fight the dead. Deadites inhabit the castle walls. Ash no longer has a chainsaw, a shotgun, or a blaster. But he’s got a demon baby for an ally. He can use the weapons available. More importantly, he has the resolve to see this through. No matter what trials he endures, the Necronomicon worsens Ash’s situation. He knows how to channel his anger at the book to kill Deadites.

 

Art

In Army Of Darkness Forever #10, Ash kneels before Evil Ash. Clutching his bloody stump, he sees the demon baby and the miniature minions near his evil twin. Evil Ash forms the epicenter of activity as he opens Sucky amid the fires and smoke devouring the historic buildings of Westminster. A vortex flings people, Deadites, and droids into a time tunnel.

 

Torches burn yellow as Lady Shiela’s scarlet stump matches her evil lover’s cape. He kisses her gray face against a green sky. A light-blue streak in her dark hair evokes the mate of a monster that a brilliant but unwise scientist brought to life. Yet Lady Shiela’s flesh regains color when he burns her, and the lovers turn scarlet against a purple background. Yellow fires dotted with orange rage in Lord Arthur's castle. Ash carries an axe as red-splattered as his clothes. Amid the green night, a blue pixelated hologram appears. Elsewhere, a blue vortex sends bodies and droids crashing to the ground. Beyond the purple ground, yellow dots an inked forest, while a green mist hovers above the black trees beneath star-filled darkness.

 

Large black uppercase letters in white and colored dialogue balloons and narrative boxes invade Pop Mhan’s art and Brad Simpson’s coloring in Army Of Darkness Forever #10. Words grow bold for inflection. They enlarge to convey volume, shock, and surprise. Stylish banners introduce eras, and colored shouts escape dialogue balloons as the battle for 1300 AD burns hotter. Troy Peteri’s abundant sound effects help us hear the ground tremble, the air rent and spin, and Lady Shiela summon the outrage that threatens to consume her. Thanks to Dynamite Comics & MGM for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

Giving into grief and despair fuels our enemies. Accepting what is rather than what we want strengthens us. As Ash and Lady Shiela face their foes, resilience proves the crucible that forges people into heroes in Army Of Darkness Forever #10.

 

Rating 9/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

 

Local Man #12 Review

 

Writers: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley

Artists: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley

Colorists: Brad Simpson, Allen Passalaqua & Felipe Sobreiro

Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Jerry Ordway & Brian Reber

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 24, 2024

 

Jack and Rudy found Stacy Wohl’s body in a cabin in the woods. Jack also found Police Chief Brian Bucholz’ wife imprisoned there. Former Vice President Dan Quayle appears when the Frightside leaves Stacy Wohl's corpse to sample what Jack, Rudy, and Inga have to offer. The angry god dislikes how they taste, but it hates the flavor of Dan Quayle’s Secret Service agents. So, who did the Frightside accept as a new host? And how can Jack, Inga, and Rudy combat the latest threat to their town? Let's dig out our 90s Image superhero T-shirts, leap into Local Man #12, and find out!

 

Story

Rudy isn’t wild about seeing her old boss at Auntie Inga’s Bakery again. Inga Johanning-Bucholz gave Rudy the ability to generate industrial-grade bio-lubricant. Then Inga set Rudy on fire. Rudy knows Inga also bears responsibility for Seascape flooding Farmington. She grows increasingly angry as Jack confers with his former girlfriend. Jack is a superhero. He shouldn’t team up with a supervillain!

 

Are villains born or made? In Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley's series, Inga was a good person. But after Jack abandoned her for a glamorous life with Third Gen, Inga vowed to stay in her small town and be successful no matter what. She may not have become a millionaire, but her dirty deeds didn’t come dirt cheap. She conspired with Jack’s team leader, Camo Crusader, to rob the teen heroes in Fourth Gen of their powers and sell them to the highest bidder. After her former friends and neighbors shunned her, Inga welcomes Jack's reliance on her. Her answers highlight how much all the members of Third Gen, even Neon, used Jack. However, Inga's comments and actions in Local Man #12 suggest she has not shed her manipulative ways.

 

After seeing a flood destroy his adoptive hometown and learning of Inga's affair with Jack, Brian Bucholz broke. The police chief gave up on his job, sent his children to live with his brother, and sought solace in religion. When Father Leo's church failed to fill the aching void, Brian joined the new cult that took up residence in the community center. The Faceless Horde fills Brian with contentment, and he spends his days in the former Fourth Gen training facility. The Price helps Brian and her followers glimpse alternative versions of themselves. She promises that they can visit these parallel worlds. But Jack knows from his time in Third Gen that her promises are lies, and her followers invariably die.

 

Jack experienced much that this world and others had to offer. Yet he’s matured since he returned to Farmington in disgrace. Now, he fights for the town he couldn't wait to leave without desiring to profit from his exploits in any way. But Jack will need more allies than Inga, Rudy, and his dog Pepper to battle The Faceless Horde. Freeing people from The Price's influence will likely reawaken their anger at him. He may no longer be Crossjack. But even if he killed Camo Crusader, Jack is a superhero because he fights to save others from danger and death in Local Man #12.

 

Art

Jack and Inga ignore Rudy's frantic gestures as they confer like confidants. Inga kneels beside a body in a pool of slime, then rises clutching a pointy stick. A cloaked leader preaches to her armored followers. They incinerate the clothes they shed and the photographs they clung to with laser rifles. Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley's art preserves the homespun quality of their small-town tale. Their backup story portrays a Catholic priest who evokes Reverend Henry Kane more than Father Leo. The priest takes a page out of King Julien's book when he grabs a young boy and drags him up to the mouth of a volcano. But the boy’s fate will differ from Melman’s in Local Man #12.

 

Brad Simpson and Allen Passalaqua color Inga's storage shed in red, pink, purple, and green. As Jack bends to clasp Brian's hand, blue smoke rises amid the darkness surrounding the mesmerized police chief. Does Brian kneel to pick up Jack's gray dog because he shares the otherworldly anger that Pepper swallowed? Blue shards radiate from Brian’s face, portraying alternate worlds against a green background. Felipe Sobreiro colors the smoky air surrounding silhouettes orange and gray. A boy in a green T-shirt with a red, white, and green face tumbles into a smoky yellow pool. He emerges adorned with all those colors and more.

 

Uppercase black letters fill dialogue balloons. Dialogue emboldens for inflection, swells for raised voices, and rarely shrinks. Sound effects help us hear Pepper craving attention, a visor sliding over a familiar face, Jack spitting blood, Rudy slime-skiing, and a volcano erupting in Local Man #12. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

When pain and loss engulf Farmington, a cult empowers the locals to refuse the hand fate dealt them and reach for a better one. Local Man #12 takes on the plight of small-town America and questions our belief in our unalienable rights.

 

Rating 9.4/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.

Local Man #11 Review

 

Writer: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley

Artist: Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley

Colorist: Brad Simpson & Felipe Sobreiro

Cover Artists: Tim Seeley, Tony Fleecs, Tom Raney & Brian Reber

Publisher: Image

Price: $3.99

Release Date: July 3, 2024

 

Jack Xaver fled small-town life to enjoy the glamorous life as the superhero Crossjack. When Camo Crusader fired him, he returned in disgrace but saved his hometown regardless of what they thought of him. When the TV news blamed him for the death of his former superhero boss, Jack fled his grieving mother and left his town in ruins. A plea from his priest, Father Leo, brought him back yet again. Can Jack cure the disease afflicting this small Wisconsin town? Let’s leap into Local Man #11 and find out!

 

Story

Jack’s neighbors rebuilt Farmington after Seascape flooded the town and drowned seventeen people. Then, they donated their possessions to Father Leo's church. Like Sybok's supplicants, they spend their days in the 4^th Gen building, gaining strength by sharing their tales of woe. Police Chief Brian Bucholz no longer cares about Jack's affair with his wife. Like her late husband Ben and their dog Pepper, Lila Xaver consigns her son Jack to the past.

 

Jack recognizes the malaise and calls Cutting Edge for help in Local Man #11. Jack explains that the same cancer that once afflicted a town in Oklahoma has infected Farmington. But after Camo Crusader kicked Jack out of Third Gen, Cutting Edge handed Jack the Cease And Desist order that forced Jack to adopt his Local Man alias. The media’s assertion that Jack murdered Camo Crusader prompted Gen Corp to shut down Third Gen. So Cutting Edge pleads his hands are bound and ends the call to have sex with battle drones.

 

Jack had a team armed with high-tech weapons to combat this strange cult in Oklahoma. This time, he lacks a spaceship, armor, or experienced teammates. Jack can work his magic on Officer Alan Kopecki. Twenty bucks secures Rudy's services. His rideshare buddy can take them where Jack needs to go. But is Jack ready for what he’ll find at a lonely cabin in the woods?

 

Jack's rough homecoming and illegal investigations as Local Man gave him a new beginning. He recognizes the emptiness of his former life. In Local Man #11, Jack braves danger to save others from those who value causes over people. He takes on the establishment to protect people who disdain him. Or at least, people who won't stand beside him, even if they know they owe him their lives. Potayto, potahto.

 

Art

Tony Fleecs & Tim Seeley fill pages with relatable characters, whether they’re pulling a gun on Jack, flashing him a dumb smile, or slashing through humanoid metal robots. Compelling scenes bring reality to this superhero tale, showing Local Man standing outside the 4^th Gen building, riding through the snow in the rideshare driver’s new truck, or taking down drones outside a building. Yet the extraordinary nature of the art compels. Jack discovers an inhuman science experiment, a public figure confronts him, and a leader dons a helmet and uniform that evokes Cobra Commander.

 

Brad Simpson and Felipe Sobreiro apply bright and appealing colors to Local Man #11. While the police station features greens and browns, blue snow falls before a purple sky. Turquoise smoke rises from a body lying in a bath of green fluid, while a haunting memory turns Jack's yellow and blue outfit pink, and a yellow sun blazes in his left eye before a bright red background. A bonus pinup by Kurt Belcher and Sean Baggs poses an intriguing question. If the Evil Dead sidelined Ash, how might Crossjack fare against the Army Of Darkness?

 

Uppercase black letters fill dialogue balloons, and white letters fill green-and-black narrative boxes in Local Man #11. Enlarged, pink lettering announces a change of mind, while sound effects help us hear Jack kick down a door, security agents go to pieces, and an ancient alien god speaks. Thanks to Image Comics for providing a copy for review.

 

Final Thoughts

A terrorist cult feeds on Farmington’s loss, Jack Xaver takes on the government, Rudy demonstrates an intriguing link between intelligence and superpowers, and Jack's pooch Pepper develops an unhealthy hunger in Local Man #11. After her husband’s death, will Lila Xaver become a Gun Tote’n Mama?

 

Rating 9.6/10

 

For more cover art see my review at Comic Book Dispatch.